Catastrophe resource system

ABSTRACT

A system comprising a plurality of mobile devices, an insurance policy database, and a server is disclosed. The server may be configured to receive barometric data from one or more sensors in each of the plurality of mobile devices, identify that the barometric data indicates an occurrence of at least one catastrophic event, identify a geographic region affected by the at least one catastrophic event, access the insurance policy database to determine a number of insurance policies in the geographic region, estimate a number of catastrophe resources needed to handle the number of insurance policies in the geographic region, and assign at least one of the catastrophe resources to each of the insurance policies in the geographic region.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 62/157,124, filed May 5, 2015, and entitled“Catastrophe Resource System,” which is incorporated by reference hereinin its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Catastrophes such as natural disasters may occur unexpectedly, resultingin devastating damages for individuals within proximity of acatastrophic event. For example, an individual may undergo unfortunatelosses of property, such as damage to his or her home by a hurricane ora tornado. After an individual has incurred such losses, that individualmay be eager to begin financial recovery by filing an insurance claimwith an insurance company.

Typically, the insurance company may try to handle the insurance claimwith reasonable timeliness but may be hampered by the volume andinherent complexity of insurance claims and the limitations ofconventional systems. Additionally, the insurance company may send outresources, such as claim adjusters, to regions affected by acatastrophic event to verify damage to a property and to assistcustomers or users in processing their insurance claims. Althoughinsurance companies empathize with their customers and try to resolveclaims promptly, they have historically faced resource availability andtechnological constraints. The occurrence of one or more catastrophicevents may severely limit the availability of resources and/or increasethe time required to resolve insurance claims.

Depending on the severity of a catastrophic event, the region affected,and the number of customers affected, resources for reviewing andprocessing claims may be limited. For example, when a catastrophic event(e.g., a natural disaster, etc.) occurs, many regions and people may beaffected, increasing the number of claims the insurance company has toprocess. Numerous resources may need to be scheduled, dispatched, andmanaged in an efficient manner to ensure customers receive timelycost-effective service.

Furthermore, catastrophes may be unexpected, and an insurance companymight not be able to respond to requests for claims processing anddispatch resources quickly in order to address damages left byunexpected catastrophes. It may also be difficult for the insurancecompany to identify specific regions that have been affected by anatural disaster in order to dispatch an adequate number of resources toeach of the specific regions. Thus, scheduling, allocation, andmanagement of resources after catastrophes still need improvement. Assuch, new systems, methods, and devices may be desired to assist inproviding resources to customers in catastrophes in a timely andefficient manner.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In light of the foregoing background, the following presents asimplified summary of the present disclosure in order to provide a basicunderstanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not anextensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify keyor critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of theinvention. The following summary merely presents some concepts of theinvention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detaileddescription provided below.

Aspects of the disclosure address one or more of the issues mentionedabove by disclosing computerized methods, systems, devices, andapparatuses for providing a catastrophe resource system in order todetect natural disasters and other catastrophes using mobile devices.The disclosure describes a system comprising a plurality of mobiledevices, an insurance policy database, and a server including one ormore processors and at least one memory storing computer-readableinstructions. The server may be configured to receive barometric datafrom one or more sensors in each of the plurality of mobile devices,identify that the barometric data indicates an occurrence of at leastone catastrophic event, identify a geographic region affected by the atleast one catastrophic event, access the insurance policy database todetermine a number of insurance policies in the geographic region,estimate a number of catastrophe resources needed to handle the numberof insurance policies in the geographic region, and assign at least oneof the catastrophe resources to each of the insurance policies in thegeographic region.

The disclosure also describes an apparatus comprising at least oneprocessor, a network interface configured to communicate, via a network,with a plurality of mobile devices, and a memory storingcomputer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least oneprocessor, cause the apparatus to receive barometric data from each ofthe plurality of mobile devices, wherein each mobile device comprisesone or more sensors, identify, by the at least one processor, that thebarometric data indicates an occurrence of at least one catastrophicevent, identify, by the at least one processor, a geographic regionaffected by the at least one catastrophic event, access an insurancepolicy database to determine a number of insurance policies in thegeographic region, estimate, by the at least one processor, a number ofcatastrophe resources needed to handle the number of insurance policiesin the geographic region, and assign, by the at least one processor, atleast one of the catastrophe resources to each of the insurance policiesin the geographic region.

In addition, aspects of this disclosure provide a method that includesreceiving, by one or more computing devices, barometric data from eachof a plurality of mobile devices, wherein each mobile device comprisesone or more sensors, identifying, by the one or more computing devices,that the barometric data indicates an occurrence of at least onecatastrophic event, identifying, by the one or more computing devices, ageographic region affected by the at least one catastrophic event,accessing, by the one or more computing devices, an insurance policydatabase to determine a number of insurance policies in the geographicregion, estimating a number of catastrophe resources needed to handlethe number of insurance policies in the geographic region, and assigningat least one of the catastrophe resources to each of the insurancepolicies in the geographic region.

Of course, the methods and systems of the above-referenced embodimentsmay also include other additional elements, steps, computer-executableinstructions or computer-readable data structures. In this regard, otherembodiments are disclosed and claimed herein as well. The details ofthese and other embodiments of the present invention are set forth inthe accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features andadvantages of the invention will be apparent from the description,drawings, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and is notlimited by, the accompanying figures in which like reference numeralsindicate similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of an example catastrophe resource devicethat may be used in accordance with one or more example embodiments.

FIG. 2 depicts an example network environment in which various aspectsof the present disclosure may be implemented in accordance with one ormore example embodiments.

FIG. 3 depicts a flow diagram of example method steps for providingcatastrophe resource services to insured individuals in accordance withone or more example embodiments.

FIG. 4 depicts a flow diagram of example method steps for providingcatastrophe resources services to insured individuals in accordance withone or more example embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In accordance with various aspects of the disclosure, computerizedmethods, systems, devices, and apparatuses are disclosed that provide acatastrophe resource system in order to detect natural disasters andother catastrophes using mobile devices of individuals. The catastropheresource system may utilize data obtained from the mobile devices ofindividuals in order to identify an area affected by a catastrophe,determine the extent of a catastrophe, efficiently dispatch resources,such as claim adjusters, estimate total loss in the area affected by thecatastrophe, and/or prevent fraudulent insurance claims. The system mayidentify and allocate resources to each catastrophe and/or assignresources to each claim in an affected area. In some embodiments,resources may be allocated to efficiently manage and handle receivedinsurance claims. Resources may be allocated to different areas orcatastrophes based on their experience, availability, or otherapplicable criteria. Resources may include field adjusters or outsideadjusters (also referred to as on-site adjusters), damage siteevaluators, waiver adjusters, and fast track adjusters. Resources mayalso include various tools such as ladders, ropes, and other home orautomobile adjuster equipment.

In particular, the present disclosure teaches a catastrophe resourcesystem that may be beneficial in providing individuals located incatastrophe-affected geographic regions with resources in an efficientmanner. The catastrophe resource system may be integrated across aplurality of platforms and may be employed by an insurance company thathandles insurance claims and offers catastrophe resource benefits orservices in insured individuals (e.g., insurance policy holders). Thatis, the insurance company may offer such benefits to individuals who areinsurance policy holders with registered accounts, wherein theindividual may have opted in for the catastrophe resource service orprogram.

The catastrophe resource system may offer catastrophe resource servicesto individuals by determining when catastrophes occur in specificgeographic regions by monitoring barometric data. For example, eachindividual within a geographic area may have a mobile device with abarometer or a barometric sensor that measures atmospheric pressureand/or barometric pressure changes. The barometer may be integrated intothe mobile device and may collect real-time data that may be useful fordetecting catastrophes, such as hurricanes, tsunamis, tornadoes,wildfires, floods, earthquakes, severe storms, and the like (e.g.,changes in atmospheric pressure may indicate a natural disaster isarriving, is occurring, has occurred, etc.). The catastrophe resourcesystem may receive or collect barometric data from each of a pluralityof mobile devices, in which each of the mobile devices may be associatedwith and/or belong to an individual insured by the insurance company.The barometric data may include measurements of atmospheric pressurewithin a predefined area of each mobile device. That is, the barometerin each mobile device may measure atmospheric pressure within theimmediate area (e.g., 5 feet, 10 feet, 100 feet, 1 mile, etc.) that themobile device is located. This range of detection and sensitivity ofeach barometer may vary depending on the manufacturer of the sensor, andthe barometer may be calibrated accordingly. In addition to barometricdata, the catastrophe resource system may also collect other types ofdata from other sensors in each of the plurality of mobile devices. Forexample, each of the mobile devices may include at least one of athermometer, GPS, magnetometer, gyroscope, accelerometer, compass,temperature sensor, infrared sensor, environmental sensor, and the like.In some arrangements, this information may be used with the barometricsensor data to predict catastrophes, dispatch resources, etc.

After collecting the barometric data (and, in some examples, additionalenvironmental data), the catastrophe resource system may identifywhether or not the collected barometric data from each of the mobiledevices indicates an occurrence of at least one catastrophic event. Forexample, there may be hundreds or thousands of insured individualslocated in a particular geographic region (e.g., city, state, or regionof a country), in which each insured individual may have a mobile devicewith a barometer. The catastrophe resource system may be able to collectthe barometric data from each of these mobile devices using thebarometers and then compare the barometric data with one or morepredefined threshold values for catastrophes. For example, the one ormore predefined threshold values may include values, ranges of values,and/or patterns for atmospheric pressure and other indicators or metricsassociated with catastrophes. In some embodiments, the catastropheresource system may derive the predefined threshold values frommeteorologists, weather satellites, national weather services, and/orother meteorological organizations. Based on the comparison, thecatastrophe resource system may identify whether or not one or morevalues of the barometric data are below or above the predefinedthreshold values for catastrophes. That is, the catastrophe resourcesystem may determine whether or not the values of the barometric dataare within the ranges of previously reported catastrophic events. If thevalues of the barometric data are not within the ranges of metrics forcatastrophic weather, the catastrophe resource system may determine thatthe barometric data indicates normal weather conditions in each of thegeographic regions and may continue to monitor barometric data from eachof the mobile devices in order to detect any changes. If the values ofthe barometric data are within the ranges of metrics for catastrophicweather, the catastrophe resource system may identify at least onecatastrophic event as well as a geographic region affected by the atleast one catastrophic event. For example, catastrophic events mayinclude hurricanes, tsunamis, tornadoes, wildfires, floods, earthquakes,severe storms, and the like. The catastrophe resource system may be ableto determine the particular type of catastrophe and estimate theseverity of the catastrophic event. For example, if the catastrophicevent is a tornado, the catastrophe resource system may be able toestimate or measure the tornado intensity based on standards, such asthe Fujita-Pearson scale.

Furthermore, there may be multiple catastrophes, each occurring indifferent regions. The catastrophe resource system may detect if one ormore catastrophes have occurred and identify the precise locations ofeach catastrophe based on the barometric readings collected from eachmobile device. In some embodiments, the catastrophe resource system maycompile barometric data from the plurality of mobile devices and providea map that illustrates barometric readings across different geographicregions corresponding to where each mobile device is located. In otherwords, the catastrophe resource system may be able to visually displayand determine the number of insured individuals in different geographicregions based on the collected barometric readings.

The catastrophe resource system may also access an insurance policydatabase to determine a number of insurance policies in a particulargeographic region that has been affected by a catastrophe. The insurancepolicy database may store information regarding insurance policies,including account information, such as account holder, insuredindividuals, an insurance policy number, insurance coverage, premiums,deductibles, billing information, payment history, address/locationinformation, and the like. For example, the catastrophe resource systemmay identify that there are hundreds or thousands of insured individualsor customers in the geographic region based on the information stored inthe insurance policy database. After determining a number of insuredindividuals (e.g., corresponding to a number of insurance policies) inthe geographic region, the catastrophe resource system may estimate anumber of catastrophe resources needed to handle resulting insuranceclaims in the geographic region. Catastrophe resources may includecoordinators, adjusters (e.g., field adjusters, fast track adjusters,waiver adjusters, and damage site evaluators), processors, managers,administrative personnel, and the like.

In some cases, the catastrophe resource system may be able to estimatethe number of catastrophe resources needed by estimating the extent ofdamage in a geographic region. That is, the catastrophe resource systemmay estimate the extent of damage in the geographic region based on themagnitude of values in the collected barometric data. For example, thecatastrophe resource system may utilize the amount of change inatmospheric pressure as a proxy for an estimate of damage in thegeographic region as a result of the catastrophic event. The catastropheresource system may also correlate different magnitudes of pressurechanges to different damage levels based on the type of catastrophicevent. For example, a hail storm may result in different damages (e.g.,lesser in severity) then the damages resulting from a tornado orhurricane. Therefore, a catastrophe resulting in severe damages maynecessitate a greater number of resources, such as claim adjusters, tobe sent to the geographic region in order to verify damage to propertiesand to assist customers or individuals in processing their insuranceclaims. Thus, the catastrophe resource system may take into accountthese different damage levels derived from the collected barometric datain order to estimate the amount and/or types of catastrophe resourcesneeded in the geographic region. Finally, in some examples, thecatastrophe resource system may assign at least one catastrophe resourceto each of the insurance policies in the geographic region.

In some embodiments, the catastrophe resource system may be able tocollect barometric data and predict a particular catastrophe even beforeit occurs. For example, the atmospheric pressure may gradually changebefore a storm hits a particular area; the catastrophe resource systemmay be able to detect these changes, identify a pattern or route of astorm, and predict which geographic region will be hit next by the stormbased on the identified pattern or route. By predicting the geographicregion that is vulnerable to a moving storm, the catastrophe resourcesystem may be able to assign catastrophe resources to the geographicregion before disaster strikes, ultimately allowing the insurancecompany to plan ahead to reach disaster areas in a timely manner.

In some embodiments, the catastrophe resource system may also be able todetect cases of fraud in which individuals attempt to obtain insuranceclaim coverage for damages not covered by the insurance company. Forexample, an individual may have hail damage on his or her rooftop whichresulted from a hail storm that occurred before the individual signed upfor insurance with the insurance company. In other cases, an individualmay have damages in his house which did not result from a catastrophecovered by the insurance company. For example, a semi-truck may have runinto the individual's house, resulting in damages that appear similar todamages resulting from a tornado. Individuals may attempt to obtaincoverage for such damages by filing insurance claims with the insurancecompany. The catastrophe resource system may be able to identify whetheror not an individual's insurance claim is valid by checking insurancerecords, as well as checking barometric data readings in the samegeographic region as the individual. That is, the catastrophe resourcesystem may be able to verify the individual's insurance claim bycomparing the individual's barometric data with barometric data fromother individuals in the same geographic region.

If the individual's barometric data readings match with the otherreadings, the catastrophe resource system may verify that the insuranceclaim is valid and may cover the damages. If the individual's barometricdata readings do not match with the other readings, the catastropheresource system may determine that the insurance claim might be invalid.The catastrophe resource system may earmark the particular insuranceclaim as possibly being fraudulent, the catastrophe resource system mayimplement additional insurance claim processing of the claim. That is,the catastrophe resource system may send out a claim adjuster to examinea property and determine whether or not the claim is fraudulent. Thisfraud-detecting feature of the catastrophe resource system may allow theinsurance company to prevent customers from taking advantage ofcatastrophe resource services and to provide resources to insuredindividuals who may need urgent assistance in processing their claims.

In the following description of the various embodiments, reference ismade to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and inwhich is shown by way of illustration, various embodiments of thedisclosure that may be practiced. It is to be understood that otherembodiments may be utilized. A person of ordinary skill in the art afterreading the following disclosure will appreciate that the variousaspects described herein may be embodied as a computerized method,system, device, or apparatus utilizing one or more computer programproducts. Accordingly, various aspects of the computerized methods,systems, devices, and apparatuses may take the form of an entirelyhardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment, or an embodimentcombining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, various aspects ofthe computerized methods, systems, devices, and apparatuses may take theform of a computer program product stored by one or more non-transitorycomputer-readable storage media having computer-readable program code,or instructions, embodied in or on the storage media. Any suitablecomputer readable storage media may be utilized, including hard disks,CD-ROMs, optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, and/or anycombination thereof. In addition, various signals representing data orevents as described herein may be transferred between a source and adestination in the form of electromagnetic waves traveling throughsignal-conducting media such as metal wires, optical fibers, and/orwireless transmission media (e.g., air and/or space). It is noted thatvarious connections between elements are discussed in the followingdescription. It is noted that these connections are general and, unlessspecified otherwise, may be direct or indirect, wired or wireless, andthat the specification is not intended to be limiting in this respect.

In one or more arrangements, teachings of the present disclosure may beimplemented with a computing device. FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagramof an example catastrophe resource device 100 that may be used inaccordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The catastropheresource device 100 may be a specialized computing device programmedand/or configured to perform and carry out aspects associated withrequesting catastrophe resources and/or providing catastrophe resourceservers to insured individuals as described herein. The catastropheresource device 100 may have a catastrophe resource manager 101configured to perform methods and execute instructions as describedherein. The catastrophe resource manager 101 may be implemented with oneor more specially configured processors and one or more storage units(e.g., databases, RAM, ROM, and other computer-readable media), one ormore application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and/or otherhardware components. Throughout this disclosure, the catastropheresource manager 101 may refer to the software (e.g., a computer programor application) and/or hardware used to collect barometric data frommobile device sensors, identify catastrophic event(s) based on collectedbarometric data, identify geographic region(s) affected by catastrophicevent(s), determine insurance policies in the geographic region(s),estimate catastrophe resources needed in each geographic region, andassign catastrophe resources to each of the insurance policies in eachgeographic region. Specifically, the catastrophe resource manager 101may be a part of a catastrophe resource system that detects catastrophesbased on collected data from mobile devices and facilitates theinsurance claims process for insured individuals by assigning resourcesto catastrophe-affected areas. The one or more specially configuredprocessors of the catastrophe resource manager 101 may operate inaddition to or in conjunction with another general processor 103 of thecatastrophe resource device 100. In some embodiments, the catastropheresource manager 101 may be a software module executed by one or moregeneral processors 103. Both the catastrophe resource manager 101 andthe general processor 103 may be capable of controlling operations ofthe catastrophe resource device 100 and its associated components,including RAM 105, ROM 107, an input/output (I/O) module 109, a networkinterface 111, and memory 113.

The I/O module 109 may be configured to be connected to an input device115, such as a microphone, keypad, keyboard, touchscreen, gesture orother sensors, and/or stylus through which a user or insured individualassociated with the catastrophe resource device 100 may provide inputdata. For example, the input device 115 may also include one or moresensors associated with the catastrophe resource device 100, including abarometer, thermometer, GPS, magnetometer, gyroscope, accelerometer,compass, temperature sensor, infrared sensor, environmental sensor, andthe like. The I/O module 109 may be configured to be connected to adisplay device 117, such as a monitor, television, touchscreen, and thelike, and may include a graphics card. The display device 117 and inputdevice 115 are shown as separate elements from the catastrophe resourcedevice 100, however, they may be within the same structure.

Using the input device 115, system administrators may update variousaspects of the catastrophe resource system, such as rules, predefinedthreshold values/ranges, or information related to identifying whetheror not collected barometric data indicates an occurrence of acatastrophic event and identifying geographic regions affected by thecatastrophic event. For example, system administrators may update valuesof one or more weather metrics (e.g., atmospheric pressure,temperatures, wind patterns, etc.) associated with differentcatastrophes in order to distinguish between normal weather conditionsand catastrophe-related weather conditions. Based on these set values ofthe one or more weather metrics, the catastrophe resource system may beable to detect catastrophes before, during, or after an occurrence.System administrators may also use the input device 115 to update rulesor information related to the catastrophe resource system estimating anumber of catastrophe resources needed to handle resulting insuranceclaims and/or insurance policies in a catastrophe-affected geographicregion. On some catastrophe resource devices 100, the input device 115may be operated by users (e.g., individuals insured by an insurancecompany and/or signed up for catastrophe resource services/benefits) tointeract with the catastrophe resource system 100, including submittingor receiving information regarding insurance claims, requesting coverageof damages after catastrophes, receiving or providing informationregarding settlements, providing or updating preferences for catastropheresource services, sending contact information to catastrophe resources(e.g., claim adjusters), updating account information, and the like, asdescribed herein.

The memory 113 may be any computer readable medium for storing computerexecutable instructions (e.g., software). The instructions stored withinmemory 113 may enable the catastrophe resource device 100 to performvarious functions. For example, memory 113 may store software used bythe catastrophe resource device 100, such as an operating system 119 andapplication programs 121, and may include an associated database 123.

The network interface 111 allows the catastrophe resource device 100 toconnect to and communicate with a network 130. The network 130 may beany type of network, including a local area network (LAN) and/or a widearea network (WAN), such as the Internet. Through the network 130, thecatastrophe resource device 100 may communicate with one or morecomputing devices 140, such as laptops, notebooks, smartphones, personalcomputers, servers, and the like. The computing devices 140 may includeat least some of the same components as catastrophe resource device 100.In some embodiments the catastrophe resource device 100 may be connectedto the computing devices 140 to form a “cloud” computing environment.

The network interface 111 may connect to the network 130 viacommunication lines, such as coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, and thelike or wirelessly using a cellular backhaul or a wireless standard,such as IEEE 802.11, IEEE 802.15, IEEE 802.16, and the like. In someembodiments, the network interface 111 may include a modem. Further, thenetwork interface 111 may use various protocols, including TCP/IP,Ethernet, File Transfer Protocol (FTP), Hypertext Transfer Protocol(HTTP), and the like, to communicate with other computing devices 140.

FIG. 1 is an example embodiment of a catastrophe resource device 100. Inother embodiments, the catastrophe resource device 100 may include feweror more elements. For example, the catastrophe resource device 100 mayuse the general processor(s) 103 to perform functions of the catastropheresource manager 101, and thus, might not include a separate processoror hardware for the catastrophe resource manager 101. Additionally, oralternatively, the catastrophe resource device 100 may be a mobiledevice (e.g., a smartphone, tablet, and the like) specially configuredto perform or carry out aspects of catastrophe resource servicesdescribed herein, and thus, may also include various other components,such as a battery, speaker, and/or antennas (not shown).

The computerized methods for providing catastrophe resource features ofdetecting catastrophes and assigning catastrophe resources to insuredindividuals in different geographic regions as disclosed herein may beimplemented on one or more catastrophe resource devices 100 used invarious network environments. FIG. 2 illustrates an example networkenvironment for implementing methods in accordance with aspects of thepresent disclosure.

As shown in FIG. 2, the network environment 200 may include a network201 configured to connect a catastrophe resource system 202, catastropheresource device 212, and a plurality of mobile device 220. Thecatastrophe resource device 212 may be the same as or at least similarto the catastrophe resource device 100 described above with reference toFIG. 1. Collectively, these specialized computing devices may form atleast a part of a catastrophe resource system. It is understood thatthere may be any number of components 212 and 220 in the networkenvironment 200.

The network 201 may be any type of network, like the network 130described above, and may use one or more communication protocols (e.g.,protocols for the Internet (IP), Bluetooth, cellular communications,satellite communications, and the like.) to connect computing devicesand servers within the network environment 200 so they may send andreceive communications between each other. In particular, the network201 may include a cellular network and its components, such as celltowers.

Accordingly, for example, a mobile device 220 (e.g., a smartphone,flip-phone, tablet, and the like) or a catastrophe resource device 212of an insured individual may communicate, via a cellular backhaul of thenetwork 201, with a catastrophe resource system 202 to request aresource, such as a claims adjuster, as a part of the catastropheresource service. In another example, the mobile device 220 or thecatastrophe resource device 212 of the insured individual (or accessedby the insured individual) may communicate, via the cellular backhaul ofthe network 201, with the catastrophe resource system 202 to submitinformation regarding an insurance claim or to update accountinformation and/or preferences for the catastrophe resource service. Andin the opposite direction, the catastrophe resource system 202 maycommunicate, via the cellular backhaul of the network 201, with themobile device 220 or the catastrophe resource device 212 to notify theindividual associated with the mobile device 220 or catastrophe resourcedevice 212 of a detected catastrophic event, estimated damage resultingfrom the catastrophic event, and/or an assigned catastrophe resource tohandle one or more insurance claims of the individual. In anotherembodiment, the mobile device 220 and/or catastrophe resource device 212may communicate back and forth with the catastrophe resource system 202over the Internet, such as through a web portal.

In some embodiments, insurance companies may provide insurance policiesto individuals and businesses to cover loss or damage of property. Inreturn, a customer may remit payments to the insurance companies. Thesepayments may be done on a scheduled basis, such as monthly or yearly.The insurance policies may be specific and only cover loss or damage tothe property from certain types of occurrences. Alternatively, insurancepolicies may be broad and cover loss or damage to the property from manydifferent occurrences. There may be multiple properties that are coveredby an insurance policy. Types of insurance policies may include vehicleinsurance (including personal automobile, motorcycle, boat, and variouscommercial lines, etc.), homeowner insurance, renters insurance,commercial property insurance, and the like. As described herein, aninsured individual or a customer may include any party that may report aloss to the insurance company, including, but not limited to, an insuredparty, third-party claimant, insurance agent, attorney, or publicadjuster.

When loss or damage occurs to an insured property, the customer maycontact the insurance company to report the loss or damage and make aclaim against their policy in order to obtain compensation for the lossor damage. Resources within or external to the insurance company mayhandle the insurance claim and determine the amount, if any, ofcompensation due to the customer. In some cases, insurance companies mayprovide insurance to a plurality of individuals and businesses within ageographic region.

FIG. 2 illustrates a plurality of mobile devices 220, in which eachmobile device is associated with (e.g., belongs to) an insuredindividual or customer of the insurance company. The insured individualmay be enrolled in a service that allows the individual to benefit fromthe catastrophe resource service. In some cases, there may be hundredsor thousands of insured individuals located in a particular city, stateor region of a country, in which each insured individual may have amobile device 220. Each mobile device 220 may also have one or moresensors 225, in which the one or more sensors 225 may include abarometer or a barometric sensor that measures atmospheric pressureand/or barometric pressure changes. In some embodiments, the one or moresensors 225 may include various sensors and/or modules, including abarometer, thermometer, GPS, magnetometer, gyroscope, accelerometer,compass, temperature sensor, infrared sensor, environmental sensor, andthe like. The one or more sensors 225 (e.g., the barometer) may beintegrated into each mobile device 220 and may collect real-time datathat may be useful for detecting catastrophes, such as hurricanes,tsunamis, tornadoes, wildfires, floods, earthquakes, severe storms, andthe like. The catastrophe resource system 202 may be configured tocommunicate with the plurality of mobile devices 220 simultaneously(e.g., at or around the same time). The catastrophe resource system 202may receive and/or collect barometric data for each of the plurality ofmobile devices 220 (e.g., from the sensors 225) simultaneously, identifyone or more catastrophic events within predefined areas of each mobiledevice 220 simultaneously, identify geographic regions affected by thecatastrophic event(s) simultaneously, determine insurance policies ineach geographic region simultaneously, estimate catastrophe resourcesneeded in each geographic region simultaneously, assign catastropheresources to insurance policies in each geographic regionsimultaneously, and send notifications regarding catastrophe resourceassignments to each of the plurality of mobile devices 220simultaneously.

In some embodiments, an insured individual or customer may operate acatastrophe resource device 212. In some embodiments, both a catastropheresource device 212 and a mobile device 220 may be employed, whereas inother embodiments, only one of these devices may be used by individualsenrolled in the catastrophe resource service. In some embodiments, thecatastrophe resource device 212 may be a specialized mobile device(e.g., mobile phone), a tablet, laptop, personal computer, and the likeconfigured to perform or carry out aspects associated with catastropheresource services described herein. For example, the catastropheresource device 212 may be the same as the mobile device 220 depicted inFIG. 2. The catastrophe resource device 212 may belong to an individualor customer of an insurance company who is an insurance policy holderand/or enrolled in a catastrophe resource service. Although only onecatastrophe resource device 212 is illustrated in FIG. 2, there may beany number of catastrophe resource devices 212, wherein each catastropheresource device 212 is associated with at least one insured individual.The catastrophe resource device 212 may further comprise a catastropheresource manager 213, a display 214, and sensors 215.

The catastrophe resource device 212 may be configured to execute thecatastrophe resource manager 213 that presents a user interface (e.g., agraphical user interface for a website, application, software program,and the like) on the display 214. The display 214 may comprise amonitor, television, touchscreen, and the like. The user interface ofthe catastrophe resource manager 213 may allow individuals to sendand/or receive data regarding insurance claims, damages, compensation,settlement offers, catastrophe resources, and the like. The userinterface may also allow individuals to receive notifications regardingcatastrophe resource assignments and to update account information orpreferences for the catastrophe resource services provided by thecatastrophe resource system 202.

The catastrophe resource manager 213 may be a self-sufficient program ormay be a module of another program, such as a program used to collectinformation utilized by the catastrophe resource system 202. Thecatastrophe resource manager 213 may have access to data (e.g.,barometric data) that is collected by the sensors 215 of the catastropheresource device 212. The catastrophe resource manager 213 may beconfigured in a similar manner as the catastrophe resource manager 101or configured to perform similar functions as those performed by thecatastrophe resource manager 101. The sensors 215 may comprise varioussensors and/or modules, including a barometer, thermometer, GPS,magnetometer, gyroscope, accelerometer, compass, temperature sensor,infrared sensor, environmental sensor, and the like. In someembodiments, the sensors 215 may detect weather-related factors that mayresult in a catastrophic event, such as a hurricane, tornado, tsunami,and the like. The catastrophe resource manager 213 may also have accessto data that is collected by the sensors 215 of the catastrophe resourcedevice 212. For example, the sensors 215 may include a barometer thatmeasures atmospheric pressure within a predefined area of thecatastrophe resource device 212. One or more of the sensors 215 may beused to monitor various weather metrics to detect changes in weatherconditions, predict potential catastrophes, and/or estimate potentiallevels of damage resulting from a catastrophe.

In some embodiments, the catastrophe resource manager 213 may bedownloaded or otherwise installed onto the catastrophe resource device212 using known methods. Different devices may install differentversions of the catastrophe resource manager 213 depending on theirplatform. For example, a catastrophe resource device 212 (e.g., asmartphone) running a first operating system may download a differentversion of the catastrophe resource manager 213 than a catastropheresource device 212 running a second operating system, different fromthe first operating system.

An individual or user may launch the catastrophe resource manager 213by, for example, operating buttons or a touchscreen on the catastropheresource device 212. Additionally, or alternatively, the catastropheresource device 212 may be configured to execute a web browser (e.g., anapplication for accessing and navigating the Internet) to access a webpage providing an interface for the catastrophe resource system. In someembodiments, the catastrophe resource device 212 may also be configuredto collect information, such as barometric data. For example, thecatastrophe resource manager 213 or another program installed on thecatastrophe resource device 212 may instruct the catastrophe resourcedevice 212 to collect data using the various sensors 215 (e.g.,barometer, thermometer, GPS, magnetometer, gyroscope, accelerometer,compass, temperature sensor, infrared sensor, environmental sensor, andthe like). This data may include barometric data and/or any other datathat is indicative of the values of one or more weather metricsassociated with catastrophes. In some embodiments, the catastropheresource manager 213 may determine relevant weather metrics to monitorand/or collect data based on standards set by national weather services,meteorologists, weather satellites, and/or other meteorologicalorganizations.

The catastrophe resource manager 213 or another program installed on thecatastrophe resource device 212 may collect weather-related data (e.g.,barometric data obtained from sensors 215) in real-time, automatically,or over a predetermined period of time. For example, the catastropheresource manager 213 may be configured to collect barometric data (e.g.,atmospheric pressure measurements) once per second, once per minute,once every five minutes, or the like. In another example, thecatastrophe resource manager 213 may be configured to collect data aftera state of emergency has been declared or after a national weatherservice has issued a warning regarding catastrophic weather. In someembodiments, the sensors 215 may be obtaining measurements in real-time(or near real-time), whereas the catastrophe resource manager 213 may beconfigured to collect data points that are relevant to catastrophicevents. That is, the catastrophe resource manager 213 may collectbarometric data (obtained from the sensors 215) when the atmosphericpressure changes by a certain amount over a certain period of time. Forexample, if the atmospheric pressure changes by tens, hundreds, orthousands of millibars (or by another unit of pressure) within a span ofminutes (e.g., within 2 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, and the like),then the catastrophe resource manager 213 may collect the data pointsindicating the pressure changes. The catastrophe resource manager 213 oranother program may also collect location information, such as GPScoordinates indicating the geographical location of the catastropheresource device 212 and/or mobile device 220.

Once the data has been collected, the catastrophe resource manager 213may be configured to send the collected data to the catastrophe resourcesystem 202 instantaneously, automatically, or at a later time. Forexample, the catastrophe resource manager 213 may provide all collecteddata or merely data that is indicative of a catastrophic event to thecatastrophe resource system 202. The catastrophe resource manager 213may send this data after a catastrophe has occurred or throughout theduration of a catastrophic event. For example, the catastrophe resourcemanager 213 may collect barometric data during the duration of a storm,cache the collected data (e.g., in memory stored in the device 100), andtransmit the collected data to the catastrophe resource system 202 afterthe storm is over. The catastrophe resource manager 213 may be able todetect that a storm is over by analyzing the collected barometric data.If the barometric measurements have returned to values indicative ofnormal weather conditions, then the catastrophe resource manager 213 maydetermine that the storm is over. By collecting data and sending thecollected data after a catastrophic event, the catastrophe resourcemanager 213 may allow individuals to conserve battery life of theirdevices (e.g., catastrophe resource device 212 or mobile device 220)during catastrophes and/or emergency situations.

FIG. 2 also illustrates example subsystems within the networkenvironment 200. That is the catastrophe resource system 202 maycomprise a catastrophe resource subsystem 203 and a plurality ofdatabases 206. The catastrophe resource subsystem 203 may include one ormore application servers, computing devices, and other equipment (e.g.,conference bridge equipment) used by company (e.g., insurance company)personnel to implement and provide the catastrophe resource servicesdescribed herein. For example, the catastrophe resource subsystem 203may include a catastrophe resource assignment module that is configuredwith programmed instructions to identify catastrophic events based oncollected barometric data from each of the plurality of mobile devices220, identify geographic region(s) affected by the catastrophic events,determine insurance policies in each geographic region, estimatecatastrophe resources needed to handle the number of insurance policiesin each geographic region, assign at least one catastrophe resource toeach of the insurance policies in each geographic region, and notifyeach individual of a respective catastrophe resource assignment bysending a notification to each of the plurality of mobile devices 220.

For example, the catastrophe resource assignment module may identify acatastrophic event based on comparing the barometric data with one ormore predefined threshold values for catastrophes. The one or morepredefined threshold values may include values, ranges of values, and/orpatterns for atmospheric pressure and other indicators or metricsassociated with catastrophes. The catastrophe resource assignment modulemay access these predefined threshold values for catastrophe-relatedmetrics which may be stored in one or more databases (such as databases206). The catastrophe resource assignment module may be able to identifya catastrophic event by parsing threshold values stored in one or moredatabases 206 and identifying that at least one value of the barometricdata matches a threshold value indicating a catastrophic event. In somecases, the catastrophe resource assignment module may identify that atleast one value of the barometric data is below or above a predefinedthreshold value for catastrophes. For example, the predefined thresholdvalues may indicate normal weather conditions when within a certainrange; however, if the barometric value is above or below a certainvalue (e.g., outside of a certain range), then the barometric dataindicates that a particular catastrophic event has occurred.

After identifying the catastrophic event, the catastrophic resourceassignment module may identify one or more geographic regions affectedby the catastrophic event and determine a number of insurance policiesin each geographic region by accessing an insurance policy database(e.g., database 206). For example, the catastrophe resource assignmentmodule may identify that there are a certain number of insuredindividuals or customers in the geographic region based on parsing theinformation stored in the insurance policy database (e.g., by searchingfor insurance policies in a specific location or geographic region). Thecatastrophe resource assignment module may then estimate a number ofcatastrophe resources needed to handle the number of insurance policiesin the geographic region and assign at least one of the catastropheresources to each of the insurance policies in the geographic region.That is, the catastrophe resource assignment module may estimateresources needed by accessing previous catastrophe records (e.g., in adatabase 206) to determine resources needed for previous catastropheswith similar barometric readings, estimating a level of damage based onthe barometric data (e.g., based on the magnitude of barometric pressurereadings and the rate of pressure changes), and/or determining resourcesneeded to handle a certain damage level in the geographic region. Inorder to assign catastrophe resources to insurance policies, thecatastrophe resource assignment module may associate at least onecatastrophe resource assignment with each insurance policy byidentifying an account number (e.g., insurance policy number) or anotherunique identifier for each insurance policy. The catastrophe resourceassignment module may then store the catastrophe resource assignment foreach insurance policy as one or more records (e.g., insurance policyrecords) in a database, such as an insurance policy database (e.g.,database 206), of the catastrophe resource system 202. For example, theone or more records may identify a unique identification number for theinsurance policy holder (e.g., the insured individual). In anotherexample, the one or more records may include at least one field for theone or more catastrophe resource assignments for each insurance policy.The catastrophe resource assignment module may update one or morecatastrophe resource assignments by inserting one or more identifiers inthe fields of the one or more records. For example, the catastropheresource assignments may include resource names and/or contactinformation of coordinators, adjusters (e.g., field adjusters, fasttrack adjusters, waiver adjusters, and damage site evaluators),processors, managers, administrative personnel, and the like.

The catastrophe resource subsystem 203 may include functionality thatmay be distributed among a plurality of computing devices. For example,the catastrophe resource subsystem 203 may comprise further subsystems,including client-side subsystems and server-side subsystems. Theclient-side subsystem may interface with the catastrophe resource device212 and/or the plurality of mobile devices 220, whereas the server-sidesubsystem may interface with application servers and computing deviceswhich handle a variety of tasks related to the identification ofcatastrophic events and catastrophe-affected geographic regions,estimation of catastrophe resources to handle resulting insurance claimsfor insured individuals, assignment of catastrophe resources to eachinsurance policy corresponding to an insured individual in geographicregions, and overall management of catastrophe resource services.

The subsystems, application servers, and computing devices of thecatastrophe resource subsystem 203 may also have access to the pluralityof databases 206. In some embodiments, the plurality of databases 206may be incorporated into the catastrophe resource subsystem 203 or maybe separate components in the catastrophe resource subsystem 203. Theplurality of databases 206 may contain information belonging to ormaintained by an insurance company, government entity, and/orthird-party. For privacy protection reasons, access to the informationin these databases 206 may be restricted to only authorized computingdevices and for only permissible purposes. For example, a database 206may comprise a computer internal to an insurance company that containscustomer policy information. A database 206 may also contain policyinformation about an individual, including but not limited to, theindividual's relevant coverage limits/deductibles with insurancecarriers, the individual's address information and other personalinformation, and any other information apparent to one skilled in theart.

As an example, the plurality of databases 206 may comprise an accountsand billing database, an insurance policy database, a catastrophedatabase, and other databases. For example, the insurance policydatabase may store insurance information regarding insurance policies ofinsured individuals, such as data regarding an account holder, insuredindividuals, an insurance policy number, insurance coverage, premiums,deductibles, billing information, payment history, address/locationinformation, and the like. The catastrophe database may includeinformation regarding previous catastrophes in various geographicregions, barometric data corresponding to the previous catastrophes,previous catastrophe resource assignments, predefined values for dataindicative of different catastrophes, and the like. The data stored inthe plurality of databases 206 may be collected and compiled by thecatastrophe resource device 212, the catastrophe resource subsystem 203,or by servers and subsystems within the catastrophe resource subsystem203.

In another example, one or more databases 206 may also includepredefined business rules and other information to enable the methodsdisclosed herein. For example, one or more databases 206 may containhistorical claim data, or other applicable data archived by theinsurance company. This data may be used, among other things, tooptimize the business rules and/or claim segmentation techniques used inthe method and systems disclosed herein.

Furthermore, one or more databases 206 may represent an externalcomputer with a large memory store, and run a system, such as ascheduling system, for enabling the assignment of particular resourcesfor adjustment of a customer's claim. The one or more databases 206 maycontain information about the availability of various resources such asadjusters and other performers available to an insurance company forprocessing a claim. In addition, one or more databases 206 may provideaccess to factors corresponding to the catastrophic event, such as windspeed data collected from a third-party vendor/software.

In some cases, an insurance company may offer catastrophe resourceservices to customers or insured individuals as an optional service. Forexample, individuals may sign up or opt for a catastrophe resourceservice and may pay fees, in some arrangements additional to theirinsurance premium fees, for the service. In other embodiments, thecatastrophe resource service (as implemented by the catastrophe resourcesystem 202) may be an additional feature in a customer's insurance plan.As an additional feature, individuals who sign up or opt for thecatastrophe resource service may receive different incentives, such asdiscounts on insurance premiums and prioritized claims processing. Forexample, if an individual agrees to allow the catastrophe resourcesystem to collect barometric data from his or her mobile device, thenthe individual may receive a certain percentage discount (e.g., 2%, 4%,10%, or another percentage) off insurance premium costs, a deductible,or the like. In some embodiments, the insurance company may providemonetary rewards or discounts, such as $100 cash back for participatingin catastrophe resource services.

Additionally, the insurance company may also provide customers withprioritized claims processing, in which individuals who allow thecatastrophe resource system to collect barometric data are provided witha priority in insurance claim processing when a catastrophe hits. Forexample, a first individual who has opted for the catastrophe resourceservice may receive insurance claim processing before a secondindividual who has not signed up for the catastrophe resource service.The catastrophe resource system may also offer customers additionalfeatures such as an advance partial settlement feature, in whichcustomers are provided payment in advance to over damages for insuredproperty. This partial settlement feature may allow customers to usethis money during emergency situations, such as after a devastatingcatastrophe.

The catastrophe resource system may provide partial settlements toinsured individuals based on barometric data collected from mobiledevices. For example, the catastrophe resource system may detect acertain degree of change in the barometric data obtained from an insuredindividual's mobile device. Based on this degree of change, thecatastrophe resource system may estimate a degree of damage to aninsured individual's property. For example, the catastrophe resourcesystem may access an insurance policy database and determine that theinsured individual will most likely submit an insurance claim for his orher insured property which is insured for a certain amount. Based on theestimated degree of damage to the insured property and the amount forwhich the property is insured, the catastrophe resource system mayidentify a claim adjustment and determine/offer a partial settlement topay the insured individual to cover the estimated damages to the insuredproperty. The catastrophe resource system may provide the partialsettlement to the customer in advance, so that the customer may use themoney to pay for a place to stay temporarily after a catastrophe, suchas after a tornado has destroyed the customer's house.

Using similar techniques, the catastrophe resource system may also beable to estimate total loss in one or more geographic regions andestimate resources needed to adjust claims in the one or more geographicregions. Furthermore, customers may provide information to thecatastrophe resource system in order to assist in the insurance claimprocess and/or the catastrophe resource deployment.

As an additional feature, the catastrophe resource system may usereal-time weather data (e.g., atmospheric pressure readings, windspeeds, temperatures, and the like) to determine the severity or a sizeof a catastrophic event in different geographic regions (e.g., ruralareas, metropolitan areas, and the like). The catastrophe resourcesystem may also provide weather-related warnings and messages tocustomers (e.g., notifications alerting customer to bring an umbrella orto reschedule an outdoor event due to stormy weather). The catastropheresource system may incorporate social media and/or develop historicalpatterns using a larger sample of data points available from weatherorganizations and/or other available industries.

FIG. 3 illustrates a flow diagram of an example method in accordancewith aspects of the present disclosure. In particular, FIG. 3illustrates example method steps for identifying catastrophes andproviding catastrophe resources to insured individuals. The steps ofFIG. 3 may be performed by subsystems, application servers, andcomputing devices of the catastrophe resource system 202 (e.g.,catastrophe resource subsystem 203). One or more of the steps of FIG. 3may be performed by executing a catastrophe resource program (e.g., acatastrophe resource mobile application) and/or by operating aparticularly configured computing device of the catastrophe resourcesystem 202. As a result of the method of FIG. 3, the catastropheresource system 202 may assign at least one catastrophe resource to eachinsurance policy (corresponding to an insured individual) in one or morecatastrophe-affected geographic regions. The catastrophe resource system202 may also notify a plurality of mobile devices 220 of the catastropheresource assignments, wherein each mobile device may be associated withan individual insured by an insurance company.

The method of FIG. 3 may begin with step 301, at which the catastropheresource system may receive barometric data. For example, thecatastrophe resource system 202 may receive and/or collect barometricdata from the plurality of mobile devices 220. In some cases, thecatastrophe resource system 202 may collect barometric data from the oneor more sensors 225 (e.g., including a barometer), which may beintegrated in each of the plurality of mobile devices 220. At step 302,the catastrophe resource system 202 may compare the collected barometricdata with one or more predefined threshold values. For example, thecatastrophe resource system 202 may compare values from the barometricdata with values, ranges of values, and/or patterns for atmosphericpressure and other indicators or metrics associated with catastrophes.In some cases, the catastrophe resource system 202 may access acatastrophe database (e.g., database 206) to compare collectedbarometric data with recent barometric data values from previouscatastrophes. Based on the comparison, at step 303, the catastropheresource system 202 may identify if the collected barometric data valuesmatch or are within the predefined thresholds that are indicative of acatastrophe. If the barometric data values do not match the predefinedthresholds, then the method in this example proceeds to step 304.

At step 304, the catastrophe resource system 202 may determine that nocatastrophic event has been detected based on the mismatch of barometricdata values and the predefined thresholds (303:NO). From step 304, themethod may return to step 301, at which the catastrophe resource system202 may continue to collect barometric data from the plurality of mobiledevices 220 and proceed through the rest of the steps as describedherein. Referring back to step 303, if the catastrophe resource system202 identifies that the barometric data values match or are within atleast one of the predefined thresholds indicative of a catastrophe, thenthe method in this example proceeds to step 305. At step 305, thecatastrophe resource system 202 may identify an occurrence of at leastone catastrophic event. For example, the catastrophe resource system 202may determine that at least one catastrophic event, such as a hurricane,tsunami, tornado, wildfire, flood, earthquake, severe storm, or thelike, has occurred or will occur in the near future. At step 306, thecatastrophe resource system 202 may identify at least one geographicregion affected by the at least one catastrophic event. For example, thecatastrophe resource system 202 may utilize GPS information obtainedfrom the plurality of mobile devices 220 (e.g., along with thebarometric data collected in step 301) to determine one or moregeographic regions that have been affected by the catastrophe.

At step 307, the catastrophe resource system 202 may determine a numberof insurance policies in the one or more geographic regions affected bythe catastrophe. For example, the catastrophe resource system 202 mayaccess an insurance policy database (e.g., database 206) to determinethe number of insurance policies in particular catastrophe-affectedregions. In some embodiments, the catastrophe resource system 202 maycompile barometric data from the plurality of mobile devices 220 andgenerate a map that illustrates barometric readings across differentgeographic regions corresponding to where each mobile device 220 islocated. Based on the map, the catastrophe resource system 202 maydetermine the number of insured individuals in the different geographicregions. At step 308, the catastrophe resource system 202 may estimatecatastrophe resources needed in each geographic region. For example, thecatastrophe resource system 202 may estimate a number of coordinators,field adjusters, fast track adjusters, waiver adjusters, damage siteevaluators, processors, managers, administrative personnel, and thelike, needed to handle the number of insurance policies in eachgeographic region. At step 309, the catastrophe resource system 202 mayassign resources to insurance policies in each geographic region. Forexample, the catastrophe resource system 202 may assign at least onecatastrophe resource to each of the insurance policies in eachgeographic region based on the type of catastrophe and the estimatedseverity of the catastrophic event. After assigning the resources, atstep 301, the catastrophe resource system 202 may send notifications toeach of the plurality of mobile devices 220. For example, thecatastrophe resource system 202 may send a notification regarding thecatastrophe resource assignment to each of the plurality of mobiledevices 220.

FIG. 4 illustrates a flow diagram of an example method in accordancewith aspects of the present disclosure. In particular, FIG. 4illustrates example method steps for identifying fraud in catastropheresource services provided to insured individuals. The steps of FIG. 4may be performed by subsystems, application servers, and computingdevices of the catastrophe resource system 202 (e.g., catastropheresource subsystem 203). One or more of the steps of FIG. 4 may beperformed by executing a catastrophe resource program (e.g., acatastrophe resource mobile application) and/or by operating aparticularly configured computing device of the catastrophe resourcesystem 202. As a result of the method of FIG. 4, the catastropheresource system 202 may identify fraudulent insurance claims frominsurance customers by using barometric data to confirm authenticity ofa claim.

The method of FIG. 4 may begin with step 401, at which the catastropheresource system 202 may receive an insurance claim from an individual.For example, the catastrophe resource system 202 may receive aninsurance claim from one of the plurality of mobile devices 220. In someembodiments, the insurance claim may include information regarding theindividual's name and insurance policy number, start and end date of theinsurance policy, description of an incident (e.g., hail damage from athunderstorm), identification of damaged property (e.g., roof, window,auto, etc.), date and time of the incident, and the like. In some cases,the insurance claim may also include barometric data collected at thedate and time of the incident. At step 402, the catastrophe resourcesystem 202 may determine the geographic region of the insurance claim.For example, the catastrophe resource system 202 may access the GPSlocation of the mobile device 220 and use the geographic region in orderto confirm the barometric data provided in the insurance claim by theindividual. In some cases, the catastrophe resource system 202 mayreceive at least one of current GPS location data, GPS data from a timewhen an incident occurred (e.g., when a catastrophe hit), or all GPSdata from the mobile device 220. For example, the catastrophe resourcesystem 202 may determine a home location of the insured individual basedon the GPS data obtained from the mobile device 220. In additionalembodiments, the catastrophe resource system 202 may collect GPS datafrom the mobile device 220 when the insured individual submits aninsurance claim, with the assumption that the insured individual islocated at or near the damaged property (e.g., the individual is locatedat or near his or her house). At step 403, the catastrophe resourcesystem 202 may access barometric data collected from other mobiledevices 220 in the same geographic region. For example, the catastropheresource system 202 may have previously collected the barometric datafrom the other mobile devices 220 and may store this barometric data ina database (e.g., database 206). The catastrophe resource system 202 mayparse the barometric data in the database to identify data thatcorresponds to the same geographic region indicated by the insuranceclaim.

At step 404, the catastrophe resource system 202 may determine if theinsurance claim data matches with the barometric data obtained from theother mobile devices in the same geographic region. For example, thecatastrophe resource system 202 may determine if the barometric datafrom the insurance claim has similar pressure readings that areconsistent with the values or patterns of the barometric data obtainedfrom other mobile devices in the same region. If the insurance claimdata matches with the barometric data obtained from the other mobiledevices in the same geographic region, then the method in this exampleproceeds to step 405. At step 405, the catastrophe resource system 202may verify the insurance claim to be valid and may proceed with regularclaim processing.

If the insurance claim data does not match with the barometric dataobtained from the other mobile devices in the same geographic region,then the method in this example proceeds to step 406. At step 406, thecatastrophe resource system 202 may flag the claim as potentiallyfraudulent. For example, the catastrophe resource system 202 may storean identifier that marks the particular insurance claim as potentiallyfraudulent, in which the catastrophe resource system 202 may store thisinformation in a database (e.g., database 206). At step 407, thecatastrophe resource system 202 may proceed with additional processingof the insurance claim to determine whether or not the claim is actuallyfraudulent. For example, the catastrophe resource system 202 may send aclaim adjuster to assess an individual's insurance claim, determinewhether or not a property was actually damaged by a catastrophe, and/ordetermine whether or not the property was insured by the insurancecompany at the time of the catastrophe. In another example, thecatastrophe resource system 202 may request for the individual to sign astatement under oath to verify that the damage to an insured propertyoccurred recently during the insurance policy period.

In some cases, the sensors (e.g., sensors 225) of the mobile device 220(e.g., the mobile device belonging to the individual who submitted theinsurance claim) might not have accurately measured the barometric dataat the time of a catastrophe. Thus, additional processing may allow thecatastrophe resource system 202 to determine if damages to an insuredproperty may in fact have been caused by a catastrophe and to determinewhether damages are to be covered by the insurance company.

Aspects of the invention have been described in terms of illustrativeembodiments thereof. Numerous other embodiments, modifications, andvariations within the scope and spirit of the appended claims will occurto persons of ordinary skill in the art from a review of thisdisclosure. For example, one of ordinary skill in the art willappreciate that the steps illustrated in the illustrative figures may beperformed in other than the recited order, and that one or more stepsillustrated may be optional in accordance with aspects of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system comprising: a plurality of mobiledevices, wherein each mobile device of the plurality of mobile devicescomprises one or more sensors configured to collect barometric data andassociated location data; an insurance policy database; and a serverincluding one or more processors and at least one memory storingcomputer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or moreprocessors, cause the server to: receive, from each mobile device of theplurality of mobile devices, the barometric data and the associatedlocation data collected by the one or more sensors of each mobiledevice; analyze the barometric data to determine an amount of change inatmospheric pressure associated with a catastrophic event; determine,based on the associated location data, a geographic region affected bythe catastrophic event; estimate, based on the amount of change in theatmospheric pressure, a severity of the catastrophic event and a typeand a number of catastrophe resources needed to handle insurance claimsin the geographic region affected by the catastrophic event; analyzefirst barometric data, of the barometric data, and associated firstlocation data received from a first mobile device of the plurality ofmobile devices; estimate, based on the first barometric data and theassociated first location data, a degree of property damage caused bythe catastrophic event to an insured property associated with a user ofthe first mobile device; determine, based on querying the insurancepolicy database, an insurance coverage amount associated with theinsured property and a likelihood that an insurance claim related to thecatastrophic event will be submitted for the insured property;determine, based on the estimated degree of property damage, theinsurance coverage amount, and the likelihood that the insurance claimwill be submitted, a partial settlement amount to provide to the user;and prior to the insurance claim being submitted, provide the partialsettlement amount to the user.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein thebarometric data comprises measurements of atmospheric pressure measuredby the one or more sensors of each mobile device.
 3. The system of claim1, wherein the instructions further cause the server to: compare, by theone or more processors, the first barometric data with one or morepredefined threshold values for catastrophes; and identify, by the oneor more processors, that the first barometric data is below or above thepredefined threshold values for catastrophes.
 4. The system of claim 1,wherein the instructions further cause the server to: determine, basedon querying the insurance policy database, a number of insurancepolicies in the geographic region affected by the catastrophic event;estimate the type and the number of catastrophe resources needed tohandle the insurance claims in the geographic region affected by thecatastrophic event further based on the determined number of insurancepolicies; assign at least one of the catastrophe resources to each ofthe insurance policies in the geographic region affected by thecatastrophic event; and send, by the one or more processors and to eachof the plurality of mobile devices associated with the insurancepolicies in the geographic region affected by the catastrophic event, anotification regarding a catastrophe resource assignment, wherein eachof the plurality of mobile devices associated with the insurancepolicies in the geographic region affected by the catastrophic event isfurther associated with an individual insured by a respective insurancepolicy offered by an insurance company.
 5. The system of claim 4,wherein the catastrophe resources include coordinators, adjusters,processors, managers, and administrative personnel, and wherein theadjusters include field adjusters, fast track adjusters, waiveradjusters, and damage site evaluators.
 6. The system of claim 1, whereinthe catastrophic event includes hurricanes, tsunamis, tornadoes,wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and severe storms.
 7. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one of: abarometer, a thermometer, a global positioning system (GPS), amagnetometer, a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a compass, a temperaturesensor, an infrared sensor, and an environmental sensor.
 8. An apparatuscomprising: at least one processor; a network interface configured tocommunicate, via a network, with a plurality of mobile devices; and amemory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by theat least one processor, cause the apparatus to: receive barometric dataand associated location data from each mobile device of the plurality ofmobile devices, wherein each mobile device comprises one or more sensorsfor collecting the barometric data and the associated location data;analyze the barometric data to determine an amount of change inatmospheric pressure associated with a catastrophic event; determine,based on the associated location data, a geographic region affected bythe catastrophic event; estimate, based on the amount of change in theatmospheric pressure, a severity of the catastrophic event and a typeand a number of catastrophe resources needed to handle insurance claimsin the geographic region affected by the catastrophic event; analyzefirst barometric data, of the barometric data, and associated firstlocation data received from a first mobile device of the plurality ofmobile devices; estimate, based on the first barometric data and theassociated first location data, a degree of property damage caused bythe catastrophic event to an insured property associated with a user ofthe first mobile device; determine, based on querying an insurancepolicy database, an insurance coverage amount associated with theinsured property and a likelihood that an insurance claim related to thecatastrophic event will be submitted for the insured property;determine, based on the estimated degree of property damage, theinsurance coverage amount, and the likelihood that the insurance claimwill be submitted, a partial settlement amount to provide to the user;and prior to the insurance claim being submitted, provide the partialsettlement amount to the user.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein theinstructions further cause the apparatus to: determine, based onquerying the insurance policy database, a number of insurance policiesin the geographic region affected by the catastrophic event; estimatethe type and the number of catastrophe resources needed to handle theinsurance claims in the geographic region affected by the catastrophicevent further based on the determined number of insurance policies; andassign at least one of the catastrophe resources to each of theinsurance policies in the geographic region affected by the catastrophicevent, wherein the catastrophe resources include coordinators,adjusters, processors, managers, and administrative personnel, andwherein the adjusters include field adjusters, fast track adjusters,waiver adjusters, and damage site evaluators.
 10. The apparatus of claim8, wherein the catastrophic event includes hurricanes, tsunamis,tornadoes, wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and severe storms.
 11. Theapparatus of claim 8, wherein the one or more sensors comprise at leastone of: a barometer, a thermometer, a global positioning system (GPS), amagnetometer, a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a compass, a temperaturesensor, an infrared sensor, and an environmental sensor.
 12. A methodcomprising: receiving, by one or more computing devices, barometric dataand associated location data from each mobile device of a plurality ofmobile devices, wherein each mobile device comprises one or more sensorsfor collecting the barometric data and the associated location data;analyzing the barometric data to determine an amount of change inatmospheric pressure associated with a catastrophic event; determining,based on the associated location data, a geographic region affected bythe catastrophic event; estimating, based on the amount of change in theatmospheric pressure, a severity of the catastrophic event and a typeand a number of catastrophe resources needed to handle insurance claimsin the geographic region affected by the catastrophic event; analyzingfirst barometric data, of the barometric data, and associated firstlocation data received from a first mobile device of the plurality ofmobile devices; estimating, based on the first barometric data and theassociated first location data, a degree of property damage caused bythe catastrophic event to an insured property associated with a user ofthe first mobile device; determining, based on querying an insurancepolicy database, an insurance coverage amount associated with theinsured property and a likelihood that an insurance claim related to thecatastrophic event will be submitted for the insured property;determining, based on the estimated degree of property damage, theinsurance coverage amount, and the likelihood that the insurance claimwill be submitted, a partial settlement amount to provide to the user;and prior to the insurance claim being submitted, providing the partialsettlement amount to the user.
 13. The method of claim 12, furthercomprising: detecting, based on the analysis of the barometric data, thefirst barometric data indicative of an occurrence of the catastrophicevent, wherein the detecting comprises: comparing, by the one or morecomputing devices, the first barometric data with one or more predefinedthreshold values for catastrophes; and identifying, by the one or morecomputing devices, that the first barometric data is below or above thepredefined threshold values for catastrophes.
 14. The method of claim12, further comprising: determining, by the one or more computingdevices and based on querying the insurance policy database, a number ofinsurance policies in the geographic region affected by the catastrophicevent; estimating, by the one or more computing devices, the type andthe number of catastrophe resources needed to handle the insuranceclaims in the geographic region affected by the catastrophic eventfurther based on the determined number of insurance policies; assigning,by the one or more computing devices, at least one of the catastropheresources to each of the insurance policies in the geographic regionaffected by the catastrophic event; and sending, by the one or morecomputing devices and to each of the plurality of mobile devicesassociated with the insurance policies in the geographic region affectedby the catastrophic event, a notification regarding a catastropheresource assignment, wherein each of the plurality of mobile devicesassociated with the insurance policies in the geographic region affectedby the catastrophic event is further associated with an individualinsured by a respective insurance policy, and wherein the catastropheresources include coordinators, processors, managers, administrativepersonnel, field adjusters, fast track adjusters, waiver adjusters, anddamage site evaluators.
 15. The method of claim 12, wherein thebarometric data comprises measurements of atmospheric pressure measuredby the one or more sensors of each mobile device.
 16. The method ofclaim 12, wherein the catastrophic event includes hurricanes, tsunamis,tornadoes, wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and severe storms.
 17. Themethod of claim 12, wherein the one or more sensors comprise at leastone of: a barometer, a thermometer, a global positioning system (GPS), amagnetometer, a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a compass, a temperaturesensor, an infrared sensor, and an environmental sensor.
 18. The systemof claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the server to: storethe barometric data and the associated location data collected by theone or more sensors of each mobile device; receive, from the firstmobile device, an insurance claim related to the catastrophic event andfor an insured property associated with a user of the first mobiledevice; and based on a determination that the first barometric data doesnot correspond to stored barometric data from other mobile devices, ofthe plurality of mobile devices, associated with the geographic regionaffected by the catastrophic event: store an identifier identifying theinsurance claim as potentially fraudulent; and send a claim adjuster tothe insured property to determine actual fraudulence.
 19. The system ofclaim 2, wherein each of the plurality of mobile devices is configuredto: analyze the measurements of atmospheric pressure of the collectedbarometric data; detect a weather event based on determining that themeasurements of atmospheric pressure comprise values indicative of aweather event; cache the barometric data for a duration of the weatherevent; determine that the weather event has ended based on determiningthat the measurements of atmospheric pressure are within a predeterminedrange of values indicative of normal weather conditions; and based ondetermining that the weather event has ended, send the cached barometricdata to the server.
 20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:storing the barometric data and the associated location data collectedby the one or more sensors of each mobile device; receiving, from thefirst mobile device, an insurance claim related to the catastrophicevent and for an insured property associated with a user of the firstmobile device; and based on a determination that the first barometricdata does not correspond to stored barometric data from other mobiledevices, of the plurality of mobile devices, associated with thegeographic region affected by the catastrophic event: storing anidentifier identifying the insurance claim as potentially fraudulent;and sending a claim adjuster to the insured property to determine actualfraudulence.